About Me

Wife to a wonderful husband and mom to a beautiful daughter.
Our daughter is 15 years old and in 10th grade. She was homeschooled through 8th grade and is now in high school and doing great!
I currently work from home, teaching English to children in China with VIPKID!

Homeschool Blogs I ♥

I Review For

Disclosure

To be in compliance with the recent FTC ruling that bloggers need to disclose if they are being paid or compensated for their posts, the following is my disclosure policy:

Our Homeschool Reviews is a blog written by me, Christine. Its sole purpose is to share homeschooling products and ideas with you.

Our Homeschool Reviews does accept and keep free products from companies and organizations. That being said, I will not be influenced by any form of compensation. I will always write my honest opinions and experiences.

Our Homeschool Reviews has several links to various stores. Some of these links are affiliate links. That means that if you click on them and purchase something using that link I get a *small* percentage of the sale. You do not have to click on them, but you are more than welcome to {and thank you if you do}.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

ZeroWater: Comment #131: Nancy said...I'd like to win because this would be a healthy way to drink more water AND Comment #88: Welcome To My Sweepstakes City! said...I follow you on Google Friend Connect.

Friday, April 27, 2012

I've been purchasing products from The Critical Thinking Company for many years now. We've enjoyed books like Mind Benders and Think A Minutes, as well as Building Thinking Skills, which develops vocabulary, reading, math, and analytical skills.

For more than 50 years they have created award-winning products in reading, writing, math, science, and history for grades K-12.

Inference Jones: Beginning is the most recent product from The Critical Thinking Company that we have used. It provides short, fun, and easy-to-use activities that improve critical reading and
higher order thinking by developing the student’s ability to draw
inferences from written text.

Funny Bunny loves to read, and I have no doubt that she comprehends what she is reading, but I was really interested in having her try this product because we make inferences everyday, and we draw those inferences through personal knowledge and experiences. I wanted to know if she could read a story and infer why something was happening.

Below a story which is included in the workbook, with questions to go along with it.

There are 18 lessons in the workbook, with a sample lesson in the beginning and an answer key at the end. You can view the title of each story below in the skills chart.

My Thoughts: I really did not think that Funny Bunny would have any trouble at all with the lessons in this workbook and I was correct. I have been having her work on about two lessons a week and she finishes each one in under 10 minutes.

The workbook presents a critical thinking skill that is not present in any of her other work though, and that is why I like it. She has to think about why or why not something is happening. I also like that it is not all multiple choice. There are fill in the blank answers and some questions as her to site the sentence number where she inferred the answer.

Find Out More: You can find out more online at The Critical Thinking Company. Inference Jones: Beginning is just $11.99 for a paperback book and is geared for grades 3-4.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Inference Jones along with other Critical Thinking Company Products, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclaimer:
This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for
review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the
vendor. I have received no compensation from it and all opinions
and experiences within this review are my own.

Free National Park Week
4/21-4/29 is National Park Week. Free Admission to 397 National Parks.

Free Homeschool Lessons at Kahn AcademyKahn Academy has over 2,000 educational videos on subject from math to history. ALL FREE!
And if you use Singapore Math, you will be excited to learn that
they are starting with Grade 3a, Unit 1 and will (eventually) do all
of the lectures in the Singapore Math curriculum!! Just scroll
down to "S".

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Julianne Miller feels God nudging her to homeschool her three children. The only problem is, she has no idea what she’s doing. Julianne was her high school valedictorian, graduated from college with honors, and had a successful career in the business world. How hard could first grade possibly be?

Her plans and schedules all look so good on paper. But when it comes to avoiding her preschooler’s public meltdowns, keeping her toddler alive and in a clean diaper, and getting through the morning without everyone dissolving in tears, Julianne is thinking she might not be quite up to the task.

Can her co-op friends help her before she loses her mind or ruins her children for good? Or should she give up this crazy idea and prove her mother-in-law right?

I found myself laughing at the many stories included in The Homeschool Experiment, some of which sounded all too familiar. Whether you are a homeschool mom of one {like me} or many, I think you will relate to these stories on some level.

The author, Charity Hawkins, is a wife and homeschool mom to three children. She writes about the homeschooling journey of Julianne Miller, mom to 6-year old Daniel, 4-year old Joy, and baby Michael. The book takes the reader on a hilarious journey through a complete year with this homeschooling family, starting in May at their Homeschool Convention.

I was cracking up as she went from booth to booth at the convention. First the "Classical" booth with children reciting the Latin noun endings, first declension: -a, -ae, -ae, -arum, -ae, -is, -am, -as, -a, -is {and yes, we too did this in K}. ;) Then the "Natural Education" booth where they suggest letting kids just play and learn by "doing" until the age of nine. Next the booth for that "pre-packaged, hands-on curriculum." The one that includes the manipulatives, history notebook, phonics, and reading program...all for just $459. Sound familiar?!

The Appendix of the book includes a Homeschool Group Study Guide and
a bunch of Homeschool Resources. The guide goes chapter by chapter and asks questions that a
co-op or group can work on together. And here you can actually view and print off the entire Appendix.

My Thoughts: This is a great book for both someone thinking about homeschooling and those who are new and old to it. It makes light of many homeschooling situations but also gives encouragement to those who need it.

8. Tweet about this giveaway up to once a day: I entered to #win The #Homeschool Experiment @OurHSReviews http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/homeschool-experiment-book-review-and.html
#Giveaway ends 5/1

**Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry**

Contest ends on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:59 EST. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.This
contest is open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older. If I am
unable to reach the winner by email within 48 hours, an alternate
winner will be selected. Your entry is only valid if you include a
way for me to contact you (either an email address in your comment or
on your profile). The winner's name will be obtained and publicly
announced. The number of eligible entries determines the odds of
winning. No purchase is necessary to win and this contest is void
where prohibited by law.

Disclaimer:
This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for
review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the
vendor. I have received no compensation from it and all opinions
and experiences within this review are my own.

Are you looking for a new Bible curriculum? An in-depth Bible study for your children? If you would like to teach your children the truly big picture of the
Bible, and show them how God has been at work in his people since before
creation, you will find God’s Great Covenant to be a unique, surprising, and excellent Bible curriculum.

In God’s Great Covenant, New Testament 1: A Bible Course for Children, you will follow the story of Jesus, the Messiah and King, as He is born and fulfills all God’s promises.

Featuring 36 weekly chapters, it's divided into four themed units:

I. Jesus, the Son of Man, as Come...To Live Among His People
II. Jesus, God's Servant, Has Come...To Proclaim the Good News
III. Jesus, the Messiah, Has Come..To Teach About God's Kingdom
IV. Jesus, the Son of God, Has Come...To Conquer Sin and Death

Each chapter contains:

A memory verse, key facts chart, and fulfillment of prophecy

A story on the chapter's theme

Review worksheet and a “Think About It” question that encourages children to consider how to relate to God in their own lives

But before Unit 1 even begins, the book starts out with six introductory sections:

These were actually very interesting to read and I think most adults will learn a thing or two from reading these sections.

I also received the Teacher's Edition, which contains the entire student text, and provides answer keys and
additional information to expand upon the historical,
geographical, cultural, and theological concepts introduced in the text.

Lastly, the Audio Files include more than three hours of recordings of the thirty-two stories from the book. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the voice of Christopher Perrin, the author and co-author of several CAP products. {We have Latin for Children A and enjoy listening to him teach on the DVD}

My Thoughts: To be honest, the first time I opened the student book and started reading, I was a little confused. It goes right into the six introductory sections without any type of note from the author or suggestions on how to use the book. I think it would be helpful if the author added one.

Once I got past that though, and started with Chapter 1, things went fine. I really like the audio that goes along with the book and highly recommend it. Christopher Perrin does a good job of narrating the stories and his voice is pleasant to listen to. The book is filled with an assortment of activities, maps, and helpful charts for the students.

The only other thing that I would recommend is that the student book be spiral bound. I had a hard time keeping it open and I know that can be frustrating for children.

My Crewmates are also reviewing God’s Great Covenant, New Testament 1: A Bible Course for Children, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclaimer:
This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for
review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the
vendor. I have received no compensation from it and all opinions
and experiences within this review are my own.

Free National Park Week
4/21-4/29 is National Park Week. Free Admission to 397 National Parks.

Free Homeschool Lessons at Kahn AcademyKahn Academy has over 2,000 educational videos on subject from math to history. ALL FREE! And if you use Singapore Math, you will be excited to learn that they are starting with Grade 3a, Unit 1 and will (eventually) do all of the lectures in the Singapore Math curriculum!! Just scroll down to "S".

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Created by homeschool mom Stephanie Redmond and born out of her love for classical education and God's truth, it is written for multiple ages and grades, requires little advance preparation, and can be molded to fit every family, large or small.

The schedule of 35 weekly lessons in 8 units calls for teaching twice weekly, allowing a family time for projects, exploration of resource books, field trips, and more. Here you can view a Table of Contents.

Each unit starts with a list of vocabulary words (which are also noted in bold in each lesson), materials needed, and an optional coloring page. Depending on the age of the child, the lesson can be read either aloud by the parent or independently by the child. It is also suggested that they keep a science notebook.

After reading the lesson, there are several options as to what the child can do next. They can list and define vocabulary words, review facts or scripture verses, or read outside resources that go along with the lesson. Here you can see a sample taken from Lesson 12.

There is also "Hands-On Time" included in each lesson. This is where children will usually be creating a project or doing an experiment. The first unit includes projects like drawing, making play dough, paper-mache, gelatin, and making flash cards. Most of the materials are things you would already have on hand. There are really way more activities and resources than a child can complete, so the parent can pick and choose what fits their schedule and family best.

Each unit ends with a review {or quiz} and an optional writing assignment.

Another neat thing about this book is that there is a HUGE Appendix in the back. It has 8 sections that include reproducible forms and maps, memorization and reference lists, scripture memory, instructions and art for an animal ABC book, coloring pages, recipes and supplemental activities, an answer key, and suggested further reading. Again, none of these are required, just additional resources. Here is a sample of Suggested Further Reading.

The Christina Kids Explore series is sold by Bright Ideas Press, an online store that sells Christian-oriented curriculum.

My Thoughts: I liked this book so much that I may use it for our science next year!! I like the layout and that there are a variety of assignments for the student to choose from. I think the book is perfect for the 3-6 grade level. It's also great for large families with children in multiple grades.

I also love that they author's main goal is to glorify God in all that she does. There are scripture verses to memorize throughout and reminders and questions about our Creator in the lessons.

The only thing I wish the author did differently was to reference the page numbers in the Appendix for assignments. An activity may call for instructions or a reproducible form in the Appendix, and many times I found myself flipping through several pages to find it.

My Crewmates are also reviewing Christian Kids Explore Biology as well as others in the series, so you can check out what they think HERE.

Disclaimer: This product was given to Our Homeschool Reviews for free for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I have received no compensation from it and all opinions and experiences within this review are my own.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I don't know about you, but I don't like drinking tap water. I just don't like the taste. In our home we either drink the water from the filtration system in our refrigerator or we drink bottled water.

But why do so many people not like the taste of tap water? I think most people are aware that not all tap water tastes the same. I would say that every home has water with a distinct taste. And as a person who usually orders water at restaurants, I can say that I have had some pretty bad tasting water!!

Well, if you can't taste the stand either, and have been looking for a way to save money, and the environment, by not buying bottled water, I have a solution - ZeroWater!

ZeroWater filters produce the only filtered water that meets the FDA definition for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in purified bottled water. So you get purified-quality water without the plastic bottles or the high cost.

When you purchase a ZeroWater pitcher, it comes with a TDS meter so you can test your water. Below is a nice guide to see what could be in your water. Yuk!

We ran three tests. The first was on our tap water. It had a TDS reading of 106. According to their guide, that is about right for our region.

The second test we ran was on the filtration system in our refrigerator. It had a TDS reading of 86. That's better than the average conventional filtered water, but still kinda grosses me out, and is really not that far from the tap water.

Then we tested the ZeroWater. It had a TDS reading of 0.

The ZeroWater Pitcher is very easy to use. Simply fill the water reservoir and the water goes through the filter into the pitcher.

It fits in the fridge fine and when it is too heavy to lift, there is a water dispenser I can use.

My Thoughts: I think the ZeroWater pitcher works great and I really like having the TDS Meter to test water. I'm even thinking of carrying it with me when we go out. That would be a fun experiment.

I was surprised at how slow the water is filtered to the pitcher but found out that it is regulated that way to ensure the water has enough time to pass through each filtering stage and be cleaned thoroughly. So I just fill the water reservoir, put the lid on, and place it in the fridge while it filters through.

Find Out More: You can find out more online at ZeroWater. The 10-Cup Pitcher, which includes 1 filter and 1 TDS Meter sells for $34.99. Additional filters are $29.99 for two. Also use coupon code MC30, which will give you 30% off a 10 Cup ZeroWater pitcher!! You can sign up to receive more coupons online. You can also find ZeroWater on Facebook.

--------------------------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY!!

So, here's how TWOlucky readers will win a ZeroWater pitcher! For each comment, you will get one (1) entry.

8. Tweet about this giveaway up to once a day: I entered to #win a #ZeroWater Pitcher @OurHSReviews http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/zero-water-review-and-giveaway.html #Giveaway ends 4/25

**Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry**

Contest ends on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 11:59 EST. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.This contest is open to U.S. residents who are 18 or older. If I am unable to reach the winner by email within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be selected. Your entry is only valid if you include a way for me to contact you (either an email address in your comment or on your profile). The winner's name will be obtained and publicly announced. The number of eligible entries determines the odds of winning. No purchase is necessary to win and this contest is void where prohibited by law.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting www.momcentral.com/mccon behalf of ZeroWater and received a water pitcher to facilitate my review, two pitchers to giveaway, and extra filters to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Monday, April 16, 2012

i feel like i have been in over my head in reviews and giveaways lately and i haven't been able to post about much anything else, so here are some really random musings...

~two~

funny bunny and hubby started a garden on good friday.

~three~

publix has the best pre-made pizza dough. we are having pizza for dinner tonight. :)

~four~

funny bunny turns 9 next month...where did the time go??

~five~

we've been watching documentary shows about the titanic on the history channel all weekend long.

~six~
i've been wrapped up with my thirty-one business lately too. did you know that starting today, april 16th to may 31st, they are offering an enrollment kit rebate?! i wish that was available when i started! contact me if you want to know more...

~seven~
i love this picture of funny bunny...i just have to show it again (this time in sepia).